OGT: NCAA Round 1 - Michigan Wolverines vs Ohio Bobcats, Friday 7:20PM, TNT

[pGekko]

Probably the whole ND thing.

[flemgoblue]

Probably the whole ND thing.

guess i dont know what that is either?

[flemgoblue]

check that, i'm assuming you just mean the rivalry.. i guess i didnt realize he played there first, i just knew about Ok st

[pGekko]

guess i dont know what that is either?

That's where he first played college basketball. Assume just general ND dislike of UM. Who knows though.

[ACfromtheD]

Does anyone know why he has such a hard on for UM?

It gets a reaction.

[oldstyletom]

Does anyone know why he has such a hard on for UM?

Secret Sharty???

[SportsFromA2]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- National pundits offered various reasons why the Michigan basketball team will open the 2012 NCAA Tournament as a popular upset pick.

But perhaps the most common theme in that speculation centered around the Wolverines' heavy reliance on the 3-point shot, and Ohio's ability to defend it.

Fourth-seeded Michigan shot more 3-point shots than any other Big Ten team this season, and 13th-seeded Ohio had the 14th-best defense nationally against the long ball.

Something's got to give.

"They get into you, they climb up, they'll let you catch the ball, but afterward they really try to heat you up," said Michigan senior co-captain Zack Novak, who will help lead the Wolverines into a second-round tilt against the Bobcats on Friday (7:20 p.m., TNT) in Nashville, Tenn. "It'll be just a battle. We run good action, they guard the 3-point well.

"But if we execute, we should be able to get some good looks."

Michigan attempted 743 shots from beyond the 3-point arc this season, the 10th-most nationally.

The Wolverines only shot 35.2 percent as a team on the year, but possess capable shooters at each position, especially when Novak lines up at the power forward spot alongside 6-foot-9 sophomore Evan Smotrycz at center.

So, when the Bobcats were asked what the No. 1 thing on their to-do list was against the Wolverines, the answer came easy and quickly.

"Obviously it's 3-point shooting," Ohio junior guard Walter Offutt said. "It's something coach (John) Beilein has emphasized throughout his coaching career.

"It's pretty much the 3-point ball."

Roughly five seconds later, Bobcat point guard D.J. Cooper echoed his teammate's sentiment.

"Same thing as he said," Cooper responded. "Not letting them penetrate and kick to the 3-point ball."

A tenacious 3-point defending squad, Ohio led the Mid-American Conference and was 14th nationally in 3-point defense, holding opponents to a 29.5-percent success rate on the season.

But that's not the only thing the Bobcats do well defensively.

Ohio's 17.7 forced turnovers per game is the second-best rate in America. More importantly, Ohio averages 18.9 points per game off those turnovers, roughly 27 percent of the team's total points all season.

Turnovers haven't typically been an issue for Michigan this season (it averages just 10.9 per game), but they were in the team's last outing against Ohio State, when freshman point guard Trey Burke committed eight of the team's 18 turnovers.

"We have to execute," Burke said. "We watched a lot of film over the last couple weeks, we know they're good at forcing turnovers.

"We'll take what the defense gives us, we'll take a look at whatever they give us, and go from there."

http://annarbor.com/sports/um-basket...ive-wolverines

[SportsFromA2]

NCAA Midwest Regional

Tip-off: 7:20 tonight, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tenn.

TV/radio: TNT/WWJ

Records: Michigan 24-9, Ohio 27-7

Qualified: Michigan received an at-large bid, Ohio won the Mid-American Conference tournament

Line: Michigan by 6

Series: Michigan leads 3-0 (Michigan 87-81, Dec. 20, 1971)
What to watch for

Ohio could spell trouble for Michigan if the Wolverines aren't careful. John Beilein 's team ranks among the nation's best in limiting turnovers. But Ohio is in the top five nationally in steals, turnover margin and turnover percentage. And with freshman point guard Trey Burke coming off arguably his worst game of the season in the Big Ten tournament loss to Ohio State, that's obviously a concern. Ohio pulled off a similar NCAA upset two years ago against Georgetown.
Key matchup

Michigan's Trey Burke vs. Ohio's D.J. Cooper

The leading scorers for their respective teams, each will look to jump-start the offense and disrupt the other. Burke averages 14.8 points and 4.6 assists and is coming off one of his worst games (loss to Ohio State). Cooper, a first-team Mid-American selection, averages 14.6 points, 5.7 assists and 3.8 rebounds. Cooper also is a rebounding threat, getting the first triple-double in school history (14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) against Portland.
About Ohio

The Bobcats won the Mid-American Conference tournament after finishing third in the East Division. They are making their 13th NCAA appearance and second in the last three seasons. Ohio's best run was 1964, when it lost to Michigan in the regional finals. In 2010, Ohio also was a No. 13 seed and upset Georgetown. The 27 wins this season are a school record, eclipsing the 25 in 1994. The Bobcats are fourth in the nation, averaging 9.4 steals, and are allowing opponents 29.6 percent on 3-pointers, 13th nationally.
Michigan will win if …

Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. produce. The pair average 29 points, but accounted for 18 in Michigan's loss to Ohio State last weekend. Burke will have more responsibility on defense with D.J. Cooper , but he'll get some help from Stu Douglass . Hardaway has been playing some of his best basketball the past few weeks and had tougher matchups in the Big Ten tournament than he'll face against Ohio. Jordan Morgan also should have an easier time scoring and rebounding.
Michigan will lose if …

Ohio's D.J. Cooper dominates and Michigan has trouble protecting the ball. The Bobcats are proficient at causing turnovers and pushing the offense in transition. Michigan relies on perimeter shooting, and if its shots aren't falling — as they didn't against Minnesota and Ohio State — it could be in trouble. Still, Ohio will have to play a superior game in almost every phase to match up with the talent and size Michigan has.

Prediction: Michigan isn't playing a team of the caliber of Ohio State, but won't have an easy time with Ohio. The Bobcats can stay with the Wolverines for a half. Tim Hardaway Jr. and the supporting cast will make up for whatever Trey Burke can't provide. Michigan 72-62

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...345/1131/rss17

[phillyfan]

Hope we pull off the upset

[joeking1978]

Hope we pull off the upset

If only Shaka was our coach... We'd be the favorite

[flemgoblue]

Go Blue